Nov 2023. Blues Vol 39 No. 11

GUEST COMENTARY
Doug Griffith
Mental State of Mind is Everything
I know that it has been a while
since I was out on the streets
chasing crooks, but I still get
in uniform from time to time,
and not just for the discount at
Lubys. But when you put that
uniform on there are things you
think about that will never leave
you. Be it the good time you had
with other officers like I did in
the Gang Unit at Southeast, or
the bad times at the funerals of
friends lost. All of these things
play into who we are as individuals.
There are other things that
play into who we are, like the
responses we have to certain
events. We have all been somewhere
and noticed that something
just isn’t right. Our senses
heighten, we pay attention to
everyone around us, and making
sure we have a plan if something
does go down. This is who
we are, the vigilant who see
things before anyone else notices
something is wrong. But with
this innate ability to know when
something is not right, we have
a higher level of stress, both on
and off duty.
There have been several times
when I have been out with family
and suddenly feel anxious. I am
sure that I am not alone in the
fear of being out with family
when something goes wrong,
and we find ourselves needing
to act. But thanks to my years
at Southeast, and my training
with the Tac and Gang units, I
feel very confident in my ability
to handle most situations. It is
not that I am some super cop,
or some kind of bad dude, but
because I am mentally prepared.
Police work is truly a mindset.
One that allows you to push
aside fear in time of complete
chaos and handle the situation.
Sadly, there are also times
when this mindset works against
us. This is especially true in
our personal relationships. This
mindset can cause us to keep
others at a distance, especially
after a traumatic event. None of
us want to be the person who
“breaks down”. I will be the first
to tell you, I have broken down
after a bad scene. I never told
anyone, I just sucked it up and
moved on. Not saying that it is
right or wrong, but just how I
handled it. The job is emotionally
and physically draining from
time to time, and we need to
DOUG GRIFFITH,
PRESIDENT, HPOU
find ways to release the tensions
that we often feel. So many
times, we look to self-medicate
through one of the vices like
alcohol, gambling, pornography,
but there are better ways.
We need to find activities
outside of work that will help
mitigate the anxiety that we can
feel from the job. One of the best
ways to relieve stress and anxiety
is to take up a hobby, play
golf, fish, find a good church, go
to psychological services, find a
therapist, whatever fits you best.
We are always expected to take
care of others, but you must also
take care of yourself. Remember,
you not only have the community
counting on you but more
importantly, your family. The
mindset is everything!
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14 The BLUES